


Coping

by Groot_the_tree



Series: Whumptober 2020 [11]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Caring Greg Lestrade, Coping, Established Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade, Greg is Sweet, Hurt Mycroft Holmes, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Mentioned Eurus Holmes, Mentioned Sherlock Holmes - Freeform, Mycroft Deserves Better, Mycroft Holmes Has Feelings, Mycroft is a Bit Not Good, References to Depression, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:35:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26951509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Groot_the_tree/pseuds/Groot_the_tree
Summary: No 11. PSYCH 101 Defiance | Struggling | Crying-The aftermath of The Final Problem and Mycroft coping.
Relationships: Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade
Series: Whumptober 2020 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948387
Comments: 4
Kudos: 48





	Coping

They had been having their share of issues recently, but who could blame them? After everything with Eurus and what she had put him, Sherlock, and John through no one expected him to be okay. 

According to Gregory, not even Sherlock expected it. 

He didn’t think his brother would ever even consider him and how he is but Gregory showing up later that night and explaining that Sherlock had told him to make sure he was okay was proof of that. Of course, Gregory was quick to assure him that he was going to come anyway but thought Mycroft deserved to know his brother cared. 

It would seem the only ones not considering it this time were his parents. They just put all of this on him, saying he didn’t do enough and that it was his fault. All he was trying to do was keep them all safe, them, the country, the world. She wasn’t safe. How was it his fault? 

There were some days it was a struggle to just get out of bed. There were days he didn’t feel like moving, like the weight of the world was on him and no one cared. Sometimes the feeling wasn’t just a feeling but the truth with his job as well. 

The stress was something he once felt he needed but now it seems like a chore, something he can’t stand no matter how much he tells himself he needs to. 

The last couple weeks have been too much and he finds himself in bed, once again, having called into work to say he couldn’t come in. They had tried to get him to take some time off after everything anyway so no one was going to tell him no. 

The tears start to slowly fall down his face, knowing he was there alone, no one would see. He was safe to allow himself to feel and show emotions. It was okay for Gregory to see him smiling, laughing, happy, those were positives but he didn’t want the other to know how much all of this was really affecting him. He couldn’t make himself show it. 

And so, he hid it. He waited until he was alone and let the walls fall down, let it all out, then took a shower before Gregory came home so there were no signs that this had happened. 

On occasion Gregory had asked about it, thinking it wasn’t healthy for Mycroft to be keeping all this inside, not letting it out, not talking about how he felt. Those discussions always escalated to an argument and neither of them liked it when that happened, even if it was just because the other cared about him and wanted to help. 

Mycroft couldn’t let him know. 

This had been the plan at least, let it out, get up, take a shower and maybe have dinner ready for Gregory when he gets home, since he was here with nothing to do anyway but that was far from how it had gone. 

Mycroft didn’t hear the sound of the other man returning or the doors opening, perhaps he had fallen asleep while he was crying, Gregory had only been gone for around twenty minutes, after all, he had plenty of time. 

But when the other walks in and sees the red tracks down Mycroft’s face, he pauses, sitting on the edge of the bed, and carefully touches his cheek. This was a time the other should be at work but instead, he was in bed. It was very telling.

With a gasp, Mycroft’s eyes fly open.

“Myc, shhh, it’s just me.” He whispers, moving to the side of the bed so he was face to face with the man. “Have you been crying?”

“What are you doing back, isn’t it still early?” He asks, avoiding the question.

“Yeah, I forgot my badge.” He responds, “I came back to get it. What’s going on, My?” He asks again, not letting the topic drop so easily. 

“Nothing, I was just asleep.” He responds, sitting up and wiping his face. 

“You know, I’m not as stupid as you may believe, Mycie.” He says, softly, “You haven’t been going to work as much and have seemed off since…it happened. And now I find you here crying, what’s going on?” 

“Don’t you have work?”

“I do, but you’re more important.” He counters, “You know I’ve been worried about you, just tell me.” He pleads, leaning in to kiss one of the red cheeks, making the other smile a little. 

“I just…I don’t want you to know.” He starts, feeling a little idiotic now that he’s saying it out loud. He knows when Gregory is feeling bad but he couldn’t show him?

“Didn’t want me to know?” 

“When I’m sad, that this has…affected me so much.” He says, struggling to find the words to match the feelings inside him, “I suppose I didn’t want you to think I was so easily…broken. That this was all it took to hurt me, to make me break down.” 

Greg sighs softly, moving next to the man and pulling him into his arms, “My, what you’ve been through was nothing small. Your sister kidnapped you and the things you saw wasn’t nothing. I was more worried thinking that this didn’t affect you than I am now knowing that it did. This would have been enough to break anyone. And with the stress from your parents, yes Sherlock told me about that, and the work you do, you’ve been under constant stress. Just take a few days off, okay? They’re telling you that you can and I think it would help. I’ll go back today and see if I can get the next couple off as well, we can stay here or go on a small holiday if you’d like.” He offers.

Mycroft nods, relaxing more with the other man’s arms around him. “You’re right, Gregory, you’re always right.” 

Greg laughs softly, “I would say it’s you that’s right most of the time but when emotions and showing them are involved I might have a little more experience.” He says with a smile, kissing the other man’s head. 

He’d have to go back to work in a minute but for right now they would stay here in each other’s arms. And, if Mycroft started to cry again, shoulders shaking lightly, then Greg said nothing and held through it.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are nice.


End file.
